1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a voice information system for an automotive vehicle, and more particularly to a trip information system such that the driver is informed of various trip information such as distance traveled, duration of trip, amount of fuel consumed, and fuel consumption rate, in voice form, whenever the driver turns off the ignition switch to stop the engine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a vehicle various meters are typically provided, such as a trip distance meter, a clock and a fuel meter. Conventionally, therefore, a driver must visually check various meters for various data. For instance, the driver must find the distance traveled by looking at the trip distance meter, remember the remaining fuel amount and the time when the trip starts, recheck the remaining fuel amount and the time when the trip ends, and calculate the consumed fuel amount, the duration of the trip, and the fuel consumption rate from these data in order to know the trip information.
However, since this procedure is troublesome. Since the various data items are indicated to the driver only visually, the driver would usually overlook these data and neglect the calculation, except in a situation when the driver positively wants to know these data and the calculation results. Particularly, when the driver stops the vehicle to get out of the vehicle, since the driver's attention is directed toward the outside, the data on the meters fixed on the instrument panel are prone to be neglected.
Recently, there has appeared a vehicle where a driving computer is mounted to display digitally various trip information such as, for example, distance traveled and fuel amount consumed whenever one of the pushbuttons is depressed by the driver. Even in this case, however, the trip information is not indicated to the driver unless the driver depresses the operating pushbutton for the purpose of obtaining the particular item of information.